The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-05
THE THEATER.
Robson and Crane In "she sto Dps
10 Conquer"


the plays which managers have sgreed
to retire because it is difficult to pro-
duce, and is beyond the resources OF
even the comp pinies OF the best thea
ters. The spirit and life Of the
eighteenth century is separated
from this OF ours by more than
100 years. Within the last twenty
Elk years the world has grown by
centuries. In manner, in speech, in
dress, in all the concomitants of life,
we have grown upward and out Of the
merely animal. Then the wit and hu-
NOR was cosrse, and the possibilities
of unbridlsd purpo.e was strong
enough to break its way through the
strained modssty of the coun.
try, only preserved by woman,
in all sges the conservstors tf the
race. Goldsmith, "poor Goldy,"
was an artist. His sheepshnefs was
not real, yet his emba'rassmsnts were
natural. But they sprang not from
bashfulness, but from the strong
feeling that originated in his b oader
insight iuto the mott and purpose of
human life. II the doctrine of Karma
has any force CT effect in this and The
other lives 10 coma, what unme 3sured
contempt Goldsmith, with soul to
conceive so much of life as he revealed
in his works, must have for those then
about him, even the lordly Johnston
who patronis ID to save bim. But il
simple and way ward life, sometimes
misdirecled, often cursed by it's own
obscurities what tenderness and pa
thoe, like o great wall of water in a
desert, gushes from his lines to break
the rocR of pent up will and call forth
the ripple, the loud gufaw OF laughter.
"Poor GoldyP All about him the
wealthy were lordly, and cruel and
vain because they could not be other
wise. They were coarse in their
thought and still more coarse in speech.
1t is past belief that they are 80 near in
years and so far from us in manner,
in dress and all the details of life.
But what they did not know be did.
He had travelled the continent aioot.
He had seen misery and was "a
man of sorows acquainted with
grief" His fine spun soul had been
touched to the quick, and be painted
the town in its awkwardne.s, its as.
sumptions OF superiority, and the
country in its bumptiousness and it's
pumpkins. Hs made in She Soops 10
Conquer a perfect picture of his time.
Within tie narrsw compass of i's lines
he compressed it's cosrseness, it's want
OF delicacy, the struggles of pure,
chaste women in sea of indelicacy
and suspicion, and the temper of the
men to laugh at every other woman
than the one they were interested in
as sweetheart, wife or daughter. 1t
was a dirty, filthy, libidinous age,
when sex suggested salacity. So far
as the development of the plot and
purpose thus stated depended upon
Robson or Crane, they have nothing
to regret. We have seen "Tony
Lumpkins" we liked better, but they
we're nearer to the eighteenth century
than Mr.. Robson. Some of bis
scenes with his mother (Mrs.
George ID skson) were as finished
rs anything that the Eoglish speaking
stage has ssen in many day. They
were full OF the fond.fsshioned and
weak old mother, and the spoiled and
petted darling whose manhood had
outgrown their present purpose, with
him. His coarseness and wilfulness
dwelt upon her soul as manifest ations
of fine and finished feeling and
tho very perfection of her purpose for
him. "Tony" was all that his envi.
ronment could make of one 80
far adrift from the current
of earnest, manly life. He
knew his horses and his dogs,
and regarded women as an an
noyance and upon sufferauce. His
hunting coat was all that custom
should demand, and his mannerl, of
she tap room, were to him the "pink
of fashion," Robson was, on the
whole, excellent. "Tony" wanting, if
wanting at all, in the boiaterousness
and coarssness that we're the features
OF the "Tonys" Gf Goldsmith's day.
The 'Hardcsstle" of Craze YVES bet
ter performance Its restraints were
those of real art, and its suppressions
of anger those of a man who
knew his place and forbors with the
son of his friend. Gross purposes and
misunderstanding never in real hfs
worked such wonders or made 81
many scenes where the probable and
improbable were 30 strangely inter.
mixed. His make up was an artistic
triumph and his manner was 1mplete
and superbly sustained. We doubt if
Mr.. Crane finds as much comfort or
ease in anything be does as
in "Hardcastle. 1t f's to him
like an old shoe. He stamps
it with the individuality and feeling of
real art and puts into it the glow and
warmth of his own fine and spprecia
tive nature. There is an odor of
unction about his attempt to identity
himself with his young friends. They
barred the way to the mirthf1l con.
sanguinity that moved him into the
rhythm of their lives, but bar ever 30
much he would try, holding his self
respect, preserving his humor and
putting his patience as it did
to the extremist strain. It was
finished performance, a most
artistic portrait Of life and manners long
since passed from the worlds ways.
The temper OF it was as fine as Damas.
Gus steel and the polish as complete
as the schools OF the time could fur
nish. The extravsgancos of Gold
smith were followed IN all their detail
and the groupings and Combats of
character as picturesque as those he
had in "his minds eye" when he
fashioned forth" his comedy. This
performance showed plainly that
Robson and Crane can do better
things than hinge themselves even
to Spectacular Shakespeare" that
they have within them other desetV-
ings than the mere "Dromio"business
that has put them upon a pedestal be-
fore the world, and they owe it to
themselves to push out OF stilted
performance that would dwarf and
confine their powers. That they were
we'll supported goes without saying,
the company being a fair one. Mrs.
Dickson's "Mrs. Hardcastle" was very
good, as was the "Miss Hardcastle" OF
Miss Fetter, who has future before
her. She has grace, ease,
beauty and voice and has only